UNC Details (Holed, Scratched) NGC, Hue mint, Thierry-Thanh Thai 6, BN Vietnamiennes page 31, # 4, KM-, Fr-, SCH-, 22.49g, 36mm, engraver Pierre. Issued under the French Protectorate-Nguyen Dynasty. Struck after 1903. Obv. Thanh Thai Thong Bao around flaming pearl. Rev. Large dragon left. Sharply struck, for this crudely struck issue, with holes at 12 and 6 o’clock where this piece was pierced to hold some types of suspensions. The surfaces are lustrous, with scratches noted, predominantly on the obverse. Very rare and only the second example we have seen (both pierced).

AU Details (Holed) NGC KM533, Sch-409.1, large characters. Obv. Inscription, Tu Duc Thong Bao around central hole. Rev. Inscription, Tu My, with the four Perfections, around central hole 14.35g, 40mm. Pierced at 12 and 6 o’clock, for suspension, as are many Annamese coins. NGC has this piece listed as a 3 Tien on the holder, but we feel that it is a 4 Tien. Well struck for the issue.

ND (1865) XF45 NGC, KM580, Sch-unlisted, trade coinage used to pay the war ransom to France, set by the Treaty of Saigon in 1865. Obv. Inscription, Tu Duc Thong Bao, around small sun. Rev. Inscription, That Tien Nhi Phan, around small sun. The production run of this type was very short, as France would not accept these .800 fine pieces as payment. Very scarce and seldom offered. .

MS62+ PCGS, KM456.1, Sch-349.2. Even though PCGS has listed this piece as SCH-349.2 (round faced Dragon), this piece obviously has the narrow faced dragon and we feel that it is Sch-349.1. Obv. Central hole with eight characters around (Tu Duc Thong Bao Trieu Dan Lai Chi). Rev. Dragon, with head above hole, and tail below, with stylized clouds on right and left. A fabulous example of this type, with sharply struck devices and lustrous silver-gray patina. Rare in this exceptional condition.

UNC Details (Plugged) NGC, KM295, Sch-241. Medium gray toned with sharp detail throughout the design and pebbly-textured fields that suggest striking from an aged die. Two holes, once used to aid suspension, have been very skillfully plugged with only very faint contrast in the metal tone giving away their presence. We are uncertain of the « restrike » attribution that is noted on the NGC insert, as the plugged holes certainly suggest past commercial usage. Whatever the case, still an imposing and attractive example of this very scarce, broad denomination.

UNC Details (Plugged) NGC, KM295, Sch-241. Medium gray toned with sharp detail throughout the design and pebbly-textured fields that suggest striking from an aged die. Two holes, once used to aid suspension, have been very skillfully plugged with only very faint contrast in the metal tone giving away their presence. We are uncertain of the « restrike » attribution that is noted on the NGC insert, as the plugged holes certainly suggest past commercial usage. Whatever the case, still an imposing and attractive example of this very scarce, broad denomination.